UPDATE 1-Iran threatens action if US carrier returns-IRNA

TEHRAN Jan 3 (Reuters) - Iran will take action if a
U.S. aircraft carrier which left the area because of Iranian
naval exercises returns to the Gulf, the state news agency
quoted army chief Ataollah Salehi as saying on Tuesday.

"Iran will not repeat its warning ... the enemy's carrier
has been moved to the Sea of Oman because of our drill. I
recommend and emphasise to the American carrier not to return to
the Persian Gulf," Salehi told IRNA.

"I advise, recommend and warn them (the Americans) over the
return of this carrier to the Persian Gulf because we are not in
the habit of warning more than once," the semi-official Fars
news agency quoted Salehi as saying.

Salehi did not name the aircraft carrier or give details of
the action Iran might take if it returned.

Iran completed 10 days of naval exercises in the Gulf on
Monday, and said during the drills that if foreign powers
imposed sanctions on its crude exports it could shut the Strait
of Hormuz, through which 40 percent of the world's traded oil is
shipped.

The U.S. Fifth Fleet, which is based in Bahrain, said it
would not allow shipping to be disrupted in the strait.

Iran said on Monday it had successfully test-fired two
long-range missiles during its naval drill, flexing its military
muscle in the face of mounting Western pressure over its
controversial nuclear programme.

Iran also said it had no intention of closing the Strait of
Hormuz but had carried out "mock" exercises on shutting the
strategic waterway.
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